1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a disk device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a disc device with which data recorded on a disk recording medium is reproduced.
2. Background Information
A conventional disk device records and reproduces CD's, DVD's, and other such optical disks. The disk device includes a disk tray and a loading mechanism. An optical disk is placed on the disk tray. The loading mechanism loads and unloads the disk tray to carry the optical disk. Loading refers to an operation of retracting the disk tray into the disk device. Unloading refers to an operation of extracting (or ejecting) the disk tray from the disk device. The disk device also includes a tray-in switch and a tray-out switch. The tray-in switch detects whether or not the disk tray is completely in a close position. The tray-out switch detects whether the disk tray is in an open position or in a loading/unloading state.
The disk device also includes a chucking pulley and a disk table. The chucking pulley is suspended from an upper part of a loading position of the optical disk. The disk table is raised to a chucking position and engaged from below in a center hole of the optical disk. Then, the optical disk is raised above the disk tray, at which point the optical disk is magnetically chucked on the disk table by the chucking pulley.
During the unloading of the disk device, first the disk table is lowered integrally with a spindle motor from the chucking position to the chucking release position (e.g., unchucking position) by one of the loading motors of the loading mechanism, which unchucks the optical disk. Specifically, the disk table is pulled downward and away against the magnetic chucking force of the chucking pulley, so that the optical disk is separated from above the disk table. Then, the optical disk is unloaded from the loading position to the unloading position by the disk tray.
A technique related to controlling the loading and unloading operations has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2000-306308. With the operations, a high drive voltage that is higher than a normal voltage is applied temporarily to the loading motor for a specific length of time until immediately after the start of unloading. Then, the normal voltage is applied to the loading motor until the unloading is complete. The loading motor is driven at a high torque only under high load during chucking.
With the operations discussed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2000-306308, the system is controlled so that the high drive voltage is applied for the specific length of time to the loading motor only during the chucking operation carried out immediately after the start of unloading. However, a problem remains in that when the high drive voltage is suddenly applied during the chucking operation, the torque of the loading motor also increases, but so too does the operating noise of the loading motor.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved disk device. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.